Complete Kickoff Coverage: Using a Smothering Field-Zone Concept to Stop Kick Returns

with John Sielawa, Bryant University Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach;
Assumption College Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties & Outside Linebackers Coach in 2018;
Bryant University Tight Ends/Linebackers Coach from 2013 to 2017;
Assumption College Offensive Line Coach/Director of Football Operations from 2010 to 2013;
played collegiately at Nichols College (Tight End/Offensive Line)

One of the most-overlooked areas for improvement that can make a significant impact on a football team’s success year-in and year-out, is the implementation of a kick-coverage scheme that locks down opposing team’s kickoff returns and boxes-in the opposing offense’s starting field position to begin drives.

A relentless, consistent and smothering kickoff coverage system can be a real weapon that stifles the rush and momentum an opponent feels to begin the game or start of a half, and most-importantly, can further demoralize an opponent in those moments after your offense has just scored.

John Sielawa, Special Teams Coordinator, shines the spotlight on his smothering Field-Zone Concept for Kickoff Coverage in this highly valuable instructional coaching video!

Field-Zone Kickoff Coverage System

Coach Sielawa begins this presentation with a detailed explanation of the key factors that help kickoff coverage units be successful, as well as discusses other critically important skills relevant to kick-coverage players, including proper get-off, correct lane distribution and containing the returner by assigning specific players to spill or box the returner. 

Diagramming each player’s coverage and responsibility in the Field-Zone Kickoff Coverage System, Sielawa includes in-depth information on force players, contain players, alley players and what he calls, ‘safeties.’ 

Examples of kickoff coverage are shown using game footage with specific coaching points for technique and assignment, including…

• Field-Zone Kickoff Coverage: How to coach the get-off and correct lane distribution.
• Field-Zone Kickoff Coverage: How to coach the contain and alley players for both front side and backside responsibilities.
• Field-Zone Kickoff Coverage: How to coach the four field zones of kickoff coverage.

Field-Zone Kickoff Coverage Drills & ‘Must-Know’ Skills

Using practice film footage, Coach Sielawa places attention on several drills that teach the proper fundamentals and technical skills found in great kickoff coverage, including: best practices to avoid kick-return blockers, using 2-gap technique, mastering the ‘fold technique’ and how to ‘net’ the returner. 

Coach Sielawa follows up by showcasing several highly effective Field-Zone Kickoff Drills, including: the ‘11-on-11, Playing-In-Close-Proximity Drill,’ the ‘3-on-3 Lions Drill’ and subsequent ‘Gazelles Drill’ to teach specific fundamentals of kickoff coverage in a competitive situation without having the players run the entire length of the field for each rep. Next, Coach Sielawa provides a look at his highly effective ‘Contain-and-Fold Drill’ which teaches proper leverage on the football for specific players and teaches important kickoff cover concepts. In all, within the time constraints of limited special team’s practice segments and time, using these excellent kickoff coverage drills improve critical skills such as…  

• Kickoff Coverage Drills – teaches your kickoff coverage players how to avoid kick-return blockers and 2-gap technique (using the ‘Lions’ and ‘Gazelles’ drills).
• Kickoff Coverage Drills – teaches kickoff coverage players to defend specific return schemes and doing so without running the length of the field.
• Kickoff Coverage Drills – teaches your contain and fold players how to react to the kick-return schemes and execute responsibilities accordingly.

Coach Sielawa has produced an in-depth and extremely valuable special team’s instructional coaching video – one that provides you a comprehensive look at the game-proven Field Zone Kickoff Coverage. This is a must-own special teams video! Coach Sielawa loaded every minute of this lesson with instructional coaching information and can’t-miss kickoff coverage strategies – information that should be a part of any coach’s library, regardless of the level of competition of your team!

Coaches Review: 5 out of 5 stars.‘This is an excellent video … is packed with information, drills and film clips – best special teams kickoff video to come along in ages! All coaches should own it!’

53 minutes.  2023.